At Grant Wood Elementary School, we celebrate our diversity and recognize the strengths in the many differences we bring to our community. We understand that what we do or fail to do can significantly impact the lives of the families we serve. Our mission is to provide a safe and loving environment to empower students to reach their fullest potential.
At Grant Wood, we are respectful and productive citizens who set and meet academic and social goals.
Grant Wood’s parent teacher association (PTA) sponsors after-school enrichments that are available to all students twice a year. Teachers, parents, and community volunteers instruct interactive classes that allow Grant Wood students the opportunity to experience a wide range of activities. Over the years, some popular classes have included beading, swimming, bowling, cake decorating, pet care, sign language, and many more. Students are exposed to unique learning opportunities they can tie to their learning in the classroom and perhaps carry over into their adult lives. Grant Wood has a very active PTA and a strong pool of community volunteers. We also partner with the Foster Grandparents Program, AmeriCorps, Hy-Vee, and Little Caesars.
Grant Wood also has several co-curricular opportunities for all students, including Lego League, Eastern Iowa Arts Academy classes, as well as Boys Scout and Girls Scout opportunities.
School history
Grant Wood Elementary School opened in the spring of 1951 and is named after Grant Wood, the Iowa artist known for his regionalist style of art, and his most popular oil painting, “American Gothic,” which depicts a farmer and his daughter in front of an American farmhouse. The Cedar Rapids Gazette sponsored a contest to name our school. Tommy Woodhouse, a fifth grader at Buchanan Elementary School, submitted the winning entry. Our school is the first in Cedar Rapids to be named after an artist.
Awards
FINE award
In the 1990-1991 school year, Grant Wood was one of only a few schools across the state of Iowa to receive the First in the Nation in Education award. This award is given to schools that demonstrate overall excellence in their programs. Grant Wood is very proud of this award. You can see our FINE flag displayed in the school gymnasium. This state award made the school eligible for the National Blue Ribbon Award.
National Blue Ribbon Award
In 1992, Grant Wood was among 228 schools to be honored as a National Blue Ribbon School by the Department of Education in Washington, D.C. The 185 public and 43 private elementary schools were selected as symbols of excellence from 476 that were nominated for the award. Selection was based on evaluations of written materials, test scores, reports by the building principal and teachers, interviews with parents and the PTA, and a rigorous three-day onsite visit by the team of reviewers. We proudly display our National Blue Ribbon Banner in the gymnasium.
Grant Wood school song
Rap: We’re the Grant Wood Griffins from the southeast side, and in our elementary school we take a lot of pride!
Chorus: Grant Wood Griffins, we’re smart and we’re strong,
Grant Wood Griffins, we know right from wrong,
We will act respectfully and do what’s best for you and me,
Grant Wood Griffins, (clap) we love our school.
Verse 1: When a lion and an eagle are combined, you get a Griffin and they’re mighty fine! Strength and intelligence are what they show, and we, too can show there how we learn and grow.
Chorus: Grant Wood Griffins, we’re smart and we’re strong,
Grant Wood Griffins, we know right from wrong,
We will act respectfully and do what’s best for you and me,
Grant Wood Griffins, (clap) we love our school.
Verse 2: Like the lion and the eagle, we’ll work as a team, we’ll show cooperation like you’ve never seen. We’ll be strong in character, we’ll always reach for more, we’ll spread our mighty wings and we will soar!
Chorus: Grant Wood Griffins, we’re smart and we’re strong,
Grant Wood Griffins, we know right from wrong,
We will act respectfully and do what’s best for you and me,
Grant Wood Griffins, (clap) we love our
Grant Wood Griffins, (clap) we love our
Grant Wood Griffins, (clap) we love our school.